By guest blogger Laura Vogel. Laura is a second-year fellow in the University of Delaware Longwood Graduate Program. Her thesis research and career interests revolve around education and food gardening.
I adore plants, especially edible ones. Starting at an early age, I was transforming bits of the yard into edible garden space: The sandbox was given new life as a raised bed; the strip of lawn by the driveway became an herb garden. Another talent (or curse, if you ask my family) I developed along the way was to share the vast amounts of information I was learning about plants with whoever would listen. These two interests have led to my research focus today as a fellow in the Longwood Graduate Program.
My master’s thesis in this program revolves around public gardens and the opportunities they have to educate and encourage the public toward food gardening. Public gardens, such as arboreta and botanical gardens, often do a splendid job educating and inspiring the public in ornamental horticulture; their offerings in food gardening tend to be more limited. I hope to find opportunities for these organizations to support the food gardeners in their area.
This is where you can come in. Are you a food gardener? Are there public gardens in your area that offer, or could offer, educational opportunities that would help to improve your knowledge about cultivating edible plants? If so, please consider filling out this survey. Those who complete the survey will have an opportunity to win a $50 gift certificate from Seed Savers Exchange. My sincere thanks!
Dear Ms. Vogel,
Would you consider sharing the results of your survey with me? I recently conducted a garden survey, albeit non-scientific, and I’d be happy to share those results with you.
Best,
Kailani